Normal //Ryan Metzger

32: truth or dare

"Welcome home!" Jack, Jess, Adam, and Emily yelled as we walked back into the apartment after our two week honeymoon. Ryan and I set our luggage to the side and gave everyone a hug.
   "How does it feel to be stuck back in New York City?" Adam asked Ryan after their hug.
   "Let's just say, Lauren and I needed that vacation," Ryan laughed, looking over at me. Ryan and I had opted out of telling everyone about Natalie's paternal episode she had, so Jack and them had no idea truly how much we needed our vacation.
   "Well it looks like you guys had some fun," Emily laughed and pointed to Ryan's neck where a bruise was on the side of it. Everyone in the room laughed as our faces turned red.
   "No, there's a story behind this," Ryan said, pointing to the bruise.
   "Sure there is," Adam laughed and cracked open a beer for everyone in the kitchen. "There always is a story. Remember when Jack had a hickey senior year and mom found out?"
   "What was your excuse, Jack? 'Oh mom, she flicked me with her hair tie' or something like that?" Ryan asked him, laughing. "Okay ours sounds like that."
   "What is it?" Jess asked, taking the bottle from Adam.
   "Well," I said getting more embarrassed by the seconds that passed. "I was curling my hair and-"
   A roar of fake 'oohs' erupted from the group as they cut the story short.
   "Going with the ol' curling iron story, huh?" Jack laughed, sipping at his bottle.
   "No, it ends way more stupid than that," Ryan laughed, moving our luggage to our bedroom so we could sort it out later.
   "See, I was curling my hair and Ryan goes 'I wonder if my hair is long enough to curl' and I looked at him and laughed and he edged me to try it, so I did. And-"
  "Sure," Emily said, giving me a look. "One hundred percent believable."
   I laughed and took the bottle Adam handed me and took a long drink.
   "I'm gonna need this to get through this night with y'all," I laughed, taking another swig.
   "Oh hey," Jack said, stopping Ryan and I were the stood. "Jess and I have another wedding gift for you."
   "Jack, I think the coffee maker and amazing drunk speech you gave us on the way to the airport was more than enough," I said, meeting with Ryan and wrapping my free arm around him close to me.
   "No, this one is even better," Jack smiles and walked over to his brother. Jack held out his hand and Ryan looked at him confused. "Take it."
   Ryan took the arm that was around me and went to reach under Jack's hand. Jack dropped a tiny metal key into his palm.
   "It's yours," Jack said, opening his arms. "Jess and I are gonna move into the old apartment so you guys have the space to yourself."
   "Wait, Jack-" Ryan said to him, trying to change his mind. "We talked about this."
   "I know we did, but I didn't want your newlywed vibe to feel bogged down by Jess and I's presence," he shrugged. "Plus, it's too late all my shit is at Jess'."
   I laughed and hugged Ryan closer to me. I knew Ryan and Jack were very close and they have lived together in this apartment for a long time. I knew it was going to be an adjustment for Ryan and Jack.
   "But don't think you've got rid of me that quick," Jack said laughing. "I'll be over with Adam to work on music and stuff. Sorry, Lauren, the equipment is staying in your living room."
   "I don't mind one bit," I said, looking up at Ryan who was tearing up. "More opportunities for me to watch Ryan dance around."
   Ryan laughed and wiped a falling tear away, hoping no one would see it.
   "Aw, come here big bro," Jack said, ushering Ryan to embrace his hug. Ryan jumped into his arms and they patted each other's backs.
   "Thank you," Ryan whispered to his brother. This scene touched my heart and everyone else's in the room.
   "Yeah, so when I move out I get a six pack of beer and a 'good luck'," Adam laughed, taking a drink of his beer. We all laughed as their hug ended.
   "No more emotional stuff," Jack said waving off the bad aura. "Let's play some games."
   "What kind of games?" I asked confused, honestly wanting to just go to sleep in my own bed for the first time in two weeks.
"Drinking games, of course!" Jack laughed and pulled a bottle of fireball out from the cabinet in the kitchen and grabbed shot glasses for everyone.
"Oh gosh," I said and turned to Ryan. I buried my face in his chest as Jess started playing music on the record player.
Ryan laughed and squeezed me in his arms.
"It won't be but an hour," Ryan said to me, kissing the top of my forehead.
"I hope," I said, it muffled by his chest. I looked up at him with big eyes. "Since Jack doesn't live hear anymore, we can kick him out, right?"
He laughed and pulled me closer as Jack set up the shot glasses on the coffee table, filing each one with the spicy alcohol.
We all sat around the coffee table and jack handed us each a shot.
"Let's all take one, so we all have a base, okay?" Jack asked the group and we all agreed to whatever he was saying just to.
We took down the shots, grimacing at the bitter and burning taste it had going down my throat.
"Okay," Adam said, setting down the shot glass. "Now what?"
"What do you mean?" Jack asked, looking at him like he was an idiot.
"You said we were playing a game, babe," Jess told him, confused.
"I was just gonna do some shots, I don't know about yall," he said, filing up his shot glass and Emily's, but she gave Adam hers so she could drive home.
One after one, however many glasses Jack had poured us, we downed the alcohol. With the plastic bottle empty and our livers aching, we were all feeling the intoxication set in.
"Okay, okay, okay, okay," Jack said, laughing after he did. "That might've not been the best idea."
"It was you idea," I said, my words slurring together.
"I didn't say it wasn't my idea," Jack said, exaggerating every word as he spoke. "I'm just saying it wasn't the smartest."
We all laughed and I rested my head on Ryan's shoulder as Jack rambled on and on and on about anything and everything.
"Oh!" He said, the lightbulb above his head turning on. "Why don't we play truth or dare?"
"Why don't we head home," Emily said to Adam.
"Oh come oooooooon," Jack whined to her, throwing his hands in the air. "No fun."
"I know your version of truth or dare, Jack," Emily laughed, picking up her bag off of the ground. "I'd like to keep my clothes on."
"You play strip truth or dare?" I asked him, in awe and confusion.
"We haven't done that since high school," Jess said, looking at me with wide eyes. "Oh my gosh do you remember that time we played it at Brad Kaven's house and you and him-"
"Okay," I said slapping my hands on my thighs while rocking upright. "Who goes first?"
"Ryan, truth or dare," Jack said, blurting out randomly.
"Uh," Ryan said, throwing up his hands. "Truth."
"Tell the truth about that 'curling iron burn' on your neck," Jack said and Emily and Adam sat back down to hear this.
Ryan and I'd face's grew red and Ryan gave up the ghost.
"Fine," He said laughing. "You caught us doing a high school thing ha ha."
"I fucking knew it," Jack yelled, clapping his hands together while he laughed. "That shirt was so obvious."
"God dammit," I said, turning towards Ryan and laughing. I tried to cover my embarrassment as I looked at Ryan who held his hands up in defeat.
   "Alright, Jack," Ryan said looking at him dead in the eye. "Truth or dare."
   "Truth," He said sipping his alcohol. "Wait, wait, wait-"
   "No, you said truth," Ryan laughed. "Have you ever had sex in Lo and I'd bed?"
    Jack stared at his brother, not saying anything. He didn't break eye contact with Ryan as he reached and pulled his shirt off, thus denying the question.
   "No," I said in shock, looking back and forth from Jess and Jack. "You did not."
   "Holy shit," Adam said, reaching for his stomach as he was rolling with laughter. "You guys fucking-"
   "We were bored!" Jack said in defense, exaggerating his hand gestures. Ryan and I's jaws were on the floor. "You guys were gone and-"
   "It was recent?" Ryan yelled, laughing as hard as he could.
   "Oh god," I said, wiping my arms as if I was covered in a layer of mud. "Remind me to do the laundry as soon as possible."
   "Oh gosh," Jess said, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment.
    "Now you know how it feels!" I yelled at her, pointing to her and busting out laughing.
     "Lauren!" Jack said pointing to me, changing the subject back to the game. "Truth or dare?"
    "Dare," I said folding my hands and resting my chin on my hand. I gave him a look of 'shoot your best shot' as he was thinking long and hard.
"I dare you," Jack said giving me the same look that I was giving him. "To go in the fridge and eat three spoonfuls of Mayo."
"What," I said, my jaw dropping. "No way."
"Then strip," Ryan said, nudging me with his elbow and giving me a wink.
"You know I hate mayo," I whined to Jack, throwing my hands up in the air. I was not letting Jack win this one. "Fine."
I got up from where we were sitting and went to the fridge where I dug to find the mayo.
"Babe, you don't have to-" Ryan started, but I opened our drawers to pull out a spoon. The group ran to the kitchen to watch me fill the spoon with mayo. I gagged at the smell as it inches closer to my mouth.
The spoon was so close to my mouth, but at the last second, I threw the spoon in the sink and gagged as I fell back into Ryan's arms, who was laughing so hard.
"God dammit," I said and Jack pointed at me repeating 'loser, loser, loser' while laughing.
I sighed and raised my arms above my head so Ryan could slip off my shirt. He took it off for me and threw it towards the hallway so we could get it before going to bed.
I stood there, exposed in my bright purple bra that stood out against my pale skin.
"Adam I said, looking over at him. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare!" He said excited.
"I dare you to get your shoes on," Emily laughed. "I don't need him walking to the car drunk and without his pants on."
"True," Ryan said laughing. We all said our goodbyes to them as Adam whined like a five year old wanting to stay. "Night guys."
Adam and Emily left the apartment with smiles and with the door shutting, I looked at Jess.
"Truth or dare?" I asked her.
"Dare," She said to me, crossing her arms like I had mine.
I opened the fridge and fumbled through the Tupperware containers full of leftovers from the two weeks Ryan and I were gone until I came across Mac and cheese.
"Eat this," I said, setting it in the table. "While moaning."
"Moaning?" She repeated to me, giving me a concerned look.
"You heard me," I said sliding the plastic to her. "Moaning."
She grabbed a fork and took a few pieces of the Mac and cheese, looking over at Jack, who was loving every minute of this. He kept giggling every time she got close to putting it in her mouth.
When she took a bite, she let out the loudest moan she could, making us all bust out laughing. Jack was slapping his thighs drunkingly as she continued until we told her to stop.
"Great," She said, putting the container back in the fridge. "Now the neighbors think we are doing something we shouldn't."
"Oh, like you did in our bed?" I asked her, crossing my arms and laughing.
"Oh shit," Ryan said and laughed at her growing red face.
"Ryan," She said smiling. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth, why not," He said smiling, trying to not show how drunk he was but I knew him. He was swaying back and forth and while his eyes tried to focus on one thing but failed.
"You're doing a dare, pussy," Jess said laughing, Jack spit out the alcohol that was in his mouth in shock. "I dare you to give Lauren a strip tease."
"Even if you do it or not, you're gonna strip so," I said, ushering him on to do it. He looked at the ground and then quickly pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat me on it.
He went to the speakers and hooked his phone up. Pony started playing throughout the apartment and on the beat, he turned around and whipped his glasses off, throwing them to the couch.
He fake seductively walked over to me, swaying his hips on the beat while pulling at his shirt. He took off his old Pixar shirt, throwing it to the side and he winked at me.
"Holy fucking shit," Jack said, holding his hands in his hair and looking at his brother in shock.
Ryan came closer to me and ran his fingers through my hair and kissed me sweetly, but forcefully. I could taste the alcohol on his breath as he kissed me. We both forgot there were others in the room until Jack turned the music off.
"That's all you're getting," Ryan laughed, climbing off of me as I busted out laughing at what just happened.
"Amazing, babe," I said and we all gave him a well deserved applause for being a good sport.
I laughed as we all sat around the room, waiting for the next truth or dare.
"Lauren," Jess said to me. "Truth or dare."
"You're gonna make me choose dare, so dare," I laughed, sipping my beer.
"I dare you," She said with a smile. "To go into the bathroom and take a little test that's under the sink."
"Jess," I said to her, trying to get her to stop. "Not funny."
"I'm not meaning it to be funny!" She said defending herself. "You're a married woman and we are all curious about a honeymoon baby."
I let out a sigh and slammed my beer on the table in frustration and anger that came out of me all at once.
"Y'know what Jess? Fine. I'll take the fucking test so you can rub it in my face that it'll never happen, okay?"
"Lauren, I-" She started but I entered Ryan and I'd bathroom and dug through the cabinet under the sink until I found the blue box full of pregnancy tests.
When I walked back into the apartment's living room, holding the stick, everyone was silent until I walked in.
"Lauren, you didn't have to do that-" Ryan started, but tears welled at my eyelids and I cut him off.
"It's positive," I said, holding it up. "The test says I'm pregnant."
"What-?" Ryan said, running to me and taking the test to see for himself. "We are pregnant?"
"We are," I said in a happier tone. "Oh gosh, I'm drunk and I'm pregnant."
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